Improvement in pavements



2 She'ets- Sheet '1.

JOHN- MERLETTE, Sr. Improvement in Pavement. N0. 127 628. I4 1 Patented June 4,1872.

ZSBeetv-Sheet 2 JOHN MERLETTE, SI.

Improvement in Pav emen-t.

NQ..127 ,.628. Patentedjune 4,1872;

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIGE.

JOHN MERLETTE, SR, OF BOUND BROOK, NEW JERSEY.-

IMPROVEMENT IN PAVEMENTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 127,628, dated June 4, 1872; antedated May 20, 1872.

in part, constructed in accordance with my in vention; Fig. 2, a vertical section .at the line a w, and Fig. 3 a vertical section at the liney y, in Fig. 1. Fig. 4is a view in perspective of one of the blocks, of which my improvedpavement is composed, detached.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawing.

My invention relates to iron pavements; and consists in a novel construction and arrangement of cast-iron blocks with ties, which may be of wood, arranged to pass through a series of adjacent blocks at opposite ends, as it were, of each succeeding one, so as to effectually tie and bind the several blocks of the pavement together in directions at right angles to the ties. The invention also consists in facing the ties, when made of wood, above and below, or either, with metal strips to prevent the ties being bruised or injured by the vibration of the blocks consequent upon heavy loads passing over the pavement.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, A and A represent cast-iron blocks of rectangular form, and made with surface projections a a, leaving cross-grooves c c in the general surface of the pavement to effect a perfect foothold. Said blocks are each made with parallel dome or other suitably-shaped openings, at d, through them, beneath their respective surfaceprojectionsa a, thus forming hollow metal blocks, each consecutive one of which, in a parallel relation as regards the length of the blocks, is arranged with its ends midway or thereabout with the block it is next adjacent to, or, in other words, when referring to the general arrangement, with the blocks on either side of it.

The substratum on which the blocks rest may either be planks, sand, or any other suitable kind; and when arranged in their places, as described and represented in Fig. 1 of the drawing, the whole are tied together in directions at right angles to the lengths of the blocks by ties B B, arranged to fit or fill and pass through the apertures d d at opposite ends, as it were, of each succeeding block in a transverse direction, due to the hereinbeforespecified arrangement of the blocks, and which serves to tie and bind the several blocks of the pavement together in directions at right angles to the ties.

The ties B B may be of wood, and each one be spliced diagonally, as at c, in one or more places, and so that each spliced end enters a pair of blocks, thereby strengthening the bindin g effect or action of the ties in the direction specified. Said ties, when made of wood, I face above and below, or either, with metal stripsf, which prevent the ties being bruised or injured by the vibration of the blocks consequent upon heavy loads passing over the pavement.

A pavement constructed as described is at once cheap, durable, easily laid down or taken up, and not liable to be disturbed from accidental causes.

What is here claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the blocks A A,having two or more openings at d through them, with the ties B B, when arranged, in relation with each other, substantially as specified.

2. The wooden ties B B, placed above and below, or either, with metal strips ff, in combination with the cast-iron blocks A A, constructed with openings d d through them for reception of said ties, and arranged in relation with each other and the latter, essentially as shown and described.

JNO. MERLETTE, SR. I

\Vitn esses HENRY T. BROWN, FRED. HAYNES. 

